Pilferproof box



M. R. KONDOLF PILFERPROOF Box Filed Feb. 5

Aug. 20, 1929.

, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 20, 1929. M. R. KONDOLF PILFERPROOF BOXFiled Feb. 3, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNIT-ED STATES HATHIAS R. KONDOIJSOF CYNWYD, PENNSYLVNIA..

PILFERPROOI BOX.

Application mea February s, im. serial No. 6,806.

My invention is designed to provide means for preventing the clandestineremoval of merchandise from shipping containers of simple andinexpensive character. Pilferage effected through the joints of paperboard containers heretofore commonly used and particularly through thejoint between .the body and closure leaves no externally v1s1ble traceof its perpetration, so that it 1s impossible to fasten responsibilityupon any one Where several custodians have had possession of thepackage, and the untraceable and unpunished lossessuflered by shippersand transportation agencies have been very heavy. In my improvedcontamer, the lapped surfaces between the box or body Wall and the lidor closure rim are held to'- ether throughout their contacting lengthsgy a constricting band or strap and the joint between the cover and boxfurther sealed by a flange extending angularly to the box wall.Preferably the container body or box tapers outwardly from its bottomtoward its mouth, and the joint-guarding means comprises overlappingflanges hinged to the edge of the mouth and forming reenforcin ing eectof the constricting band, which has a threaded connection with the coverrim and extends circumferentially around the peripheral wall of thecontainer between the upper and lower edges thereof. By thisconstruction, an angular' joint is provided around which it isimpossible to reach without marring the package, and pressure on the boxwall to permit ingress between it and the lid rim rocks the sealingflange andA causes it to press firmly against the lid and effectuallyprevents access to the contents of the container.

The characteristic features and advantages of my improvements will morefully appear from the following description and the .ac--

companying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan View of the scored and cut blank fromwhich the box is formed; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the scored, out andapertured blank from which the lid or closure is formed; Fig. 3 is aperspective View of the assembled container with its members securedtogether, parts being broken away for better illustration; Fig. 4 is alongitudinal sectional View of the assembled container; Fig. 5 is atransverse sectional View on the line 5-5 of Fig.

struts to aid in sustaining the crush- 4; Fig. 6 is a transversesectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is an enlargedtransverse sectional view diagrammatically illustrating the effect of anattempt to pilfer; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of t e end of a lid withits rim members converging toward their edges, as when fastened on abox; and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary -view of the end of a box with its rimmemvto by wire stitches 5; `and the end Walls 3 have triangular wings orflaps 6 hinged thereto kalong diverging diagonal score lines 6',overlapping the interiors of the side walls 2 and fastened thereto bywire stitches 7 4 Flanges 8 and 9 are hinged to the free edges of therespective side and end walls along the score lines 8 and 9. The flanges8 and 9 extend substantially parallel with the base or bottom 1 andoverlap one another at their ends.

The erected box is closed by a lid formed vfrom a fibre or pulp boardblank comprising a median portion 10 having rim sections or flanges 11and 12 hinged thereto along score lines 11', 12. Each rim section 12 hasits free end edges converging toward one another. The rim sections l1veach have wings or flaps 13 hinged thereto along converging score lines13. Score lines 14 are formed in the flaps 13 and extend outwardly fromthe intersection of the score lines 11 and 12 on an angle conformingwith the end edges of the rim sections 12 of a superimposed lid whensuch lids are nested for shipment. Apertures 15 are punched in the rimsections and their end flaps, preferably near the edges thereof, theapertures in the flaps 13 substantially registering with the adjacentapertures in the rim sections 12 when the parts are bent to properposition.

A band or strap 16 is threaded through the apertures 15 for drawing therim sections inward against the box walls.

Vhen merchandise A has been packed in the erected box and the guardmembers 8 and 9 have been bent over substantially at right angles withthe box walls, the cover is placed on the box and the constrictingmember 15 is drawn tight and its ends secured, as by a fastener or seal16. The engagement of the end edges 8a of the struts 8 against theflanges 12 and the engagement of the end edges 9a of the struts 9against the inner surfaces of the walls 2 beneath struts 8, togetherwith the reenforcement afforded by the tabs 6, 8 and 13,' provides acorner construction of great strength and rigidity for resisting thecrushing effect of the high degree of tension imposed upon the tie 15,and further prevents the caving in of the corners by knocks incidentJ totransportation or by pressure applied thereto by a pilferer in'attempting to slip the lid and tie member offthe box.

The guard members 8 and 9 normally lie substantially parallel with themedian section 10 of the lid and may be lightly pressed against theinner surface of the lid by the inherent resiliency of the boxboard.When, however, an instrument or the fingers of a pilferer are insertedbetween the lid rim and the box wall, the inward dellection of thelatter exerts a thrust or rocking action upon the flange hinged theretoand presses it rmly against the lid, thereby interposing an effectivebar to ingress.

Where the contents of a box are heavy, it is sometimes desirable toadditionally strap it with a band 17 having its ends fixed together by aseal 18. This band passes around the box transversely to the band 15 andpasses through loops 15 formed by the latter; the removal of the band 17by. slipping it oil the end of the box being thereby prevented.

Both the boxes and lids comprised in my improved container may becompactly nested when empty for shipment or storage. For nesting boxestogether, their members 8 and 9.are turned to or allowed to remain inthe planes of the box walls; the taper of such walls permitting thestacking of the boxes one within the other.

For nesting lids together, the rim members thereof are spread, asillustrated in Fig. 9, without unthreading the bands 15, and the tabs 13bent along the scores 14 substantially coincident with the end edges ofthe flange 12 of a superimposed lid.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination of a box of flexible sheet materialand a cover thejoint between said members being closed by flanges along the edges ofboth members, and non-expansible means encirclingthe cov'er flangesadjacent to the edges thereof for drawing the flange of one memberagainst the other member, said box flange being deflected against saidcover by the bulging of said flexible material resulting from theinsertion of an object between said material and means.

2. A container comprising a bottom having a tapering wall of flexiblesheet material connected therewith, a member substantially parallel withsaid bottom projecting inwardly from the to of said wall, a lidoverlapping said mem ers and having a rim overlapping said wall, andnon-expansible means extending longitudinally of said rim and engagingthe rim' and wall together, said member bein pressed against said lid bythe bending of said wall resulting from the insertion of an objectbetween it and a section of said rim adjacent said means.

3. A container of flexible sheet material having a greater crosssectional area at its top than at its bottom and a llange along its topedge, and a cover overlapping said flange and having connected therewithnonexpansible means for pressing it against said container below the topthereof, said flange being pressed against said cover by the bending ofthe top of said container resulting from the insertion of an objectbetween it and the overlapping of said cover pressed bysaidmeans.

4. A container -of lexible sheet material having means extendinginwardly from the ,top thereof, a cover overlapping said means andhaving means extending downwardly from the top of said container, and amember comprising a non-expansible metallic band having ends sealedtogether disposed between the top and bottom of said container andengaging said container and cover together, said means first' namedbeing deflected against said cover by the bending 'of said sheetmaterial resulting from the insertion of an object between it and saidmember.-

5. A container of flexible sheet material having flanges hinged alongits mouth, a cover closing the mouth of said container and havingflanges extending from the mouth toward the base of the container, andnon-expansible fastening means disposed between the mouth and base ofsaid container and engaging said container and cover together, saidflanges being rocked against said cover by the insertion of an objectbetween said 'flexible material and fastening means.

'6. The combination of a box and a cover provided with a rim overlappingthe sides of said box, means normally parallel with said cover androcked against said cover by lateral pressure on a side of said box, andnon-expansible means around said box causing the bending of said sideand the rocking of said means upon the insertion of an object betweensaid non-expansible means and said side.

7. The combination with a container having a mouth and a closurecovering said mouth and having a rim overlapping said container, ofbracing means comprising overlapping members extending alon the edge ofthe container mouth, one o said members having a free edge engaging saidrim and free to move independently of the other members and another' ofsaid members having a free edge engaging the container Wall, andnon-expansible means for securing said container and closure together,said freelyl movable member bein deflected against said cover by thebendmg of said container resulting from the insertion of an objectbetween saidcontainer and means last named.

8. A container closure comprising a body section having flaps hingedthereto, a flap aforesaid having extensions hinged to the ends thereofand overlapping adjacent tlaps, each of said flap extensions havingtherein a diagonal score and means comprising a non-expansible band fordrawing and holding said flaps in inclined position.

9. The combination of a tapered container having a mouth with angularlydisposed edges, inwardly projecting flaps hinged along edges aforesaidand having overlapping ends, a closure having a body section lyingsubstantially parallel with said flaps and having hinged thereto rimmembers adapted to conform with the taper of said container, and a straphavin a threaded connection with said rim mem ers.

10. The combination with a container having inturned flaps along theedges thereof lying substantially parallel with the bottom of saidcontainer, a closure having a body section substantially parallel withand overlapping said flaps, said closure having rim members lapping thesides of said container, a non-expansible strap having a threadedconnection with rim members and forming a loop intermediate the ends ofsaid container, and a strap passing through said loop and around saidcontainer and closure.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name this 2nd day ofFebruary, 1925.

MATHIAS R. KONDOLF.

